Military Families
New Military Wife Questions About Tricare
1) When your husband enrolls you in DEERS you are automatically enrolled in TRICARE Standard even if husband has PRIME, correct?
2) Under TRICARE Standard do I have to contact someone to tell them I will be receiving services? I know you need a referral with PRIME but I am unsure about standard.
I have been seeing a doctor already who does take TRICARE as well as my current insurance. I will be dropping my other insurance once I figure out these questions. I am going to call TRICARE, but want to hear if anyone has experiences with this.
3) Anyone switch to TRICARE during pregnancy I would love to hear your stories or advice!
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Re: New Military Wife Questions About Tricare
1) I honestly don't remember, I am sure someone else can answer this for you. I have always been on Standard, I was pregnant when I left my job and switched to Tricare and knew I wanted to deliver off base. I do not remember though if I was automatically enrolled in Standard or if we called right away and switched.
2) I have always just called the doctors office and made an appointment like I would with any other insurance, no referrals or anything like that.
3) We PCSd when I was 18 weeks and I knew based on research I had done that I did not want to deliver on base at our new duty station. Being on Standard during my pregnancy was great! I got to deliver at the hospital I wanted to, use the mid-wife I wanted and it did not cost anything out of pocket my entire pregnancy and delivery (delivered in a hospital, had an epi and ended up with a c-section) with the exception of a small daily fee once I was in recovery (about $16/17 per day). It was great and I have stayed on Standard even though it does cost some out of pocket for non-pregnancy appointments, but we are planning on TTC again when my H is back from his deployment so I did not want to switch back and forth.
1) yes, you are automatically enrolled into standard. You have to request prime if you would like prime.
2) You don't need a referral with standard, but what you should do is make sure they are a network provider because it ends up being less expensive with a network provider. there is a place on the TRICARE website where you can put in your zip and it will show you all the doctors who are network providers. I'd just call them after you found them online just to re-confirm that they are in fact a network provider and let them know you'd like to be seen by them.
I was brought up in a military family so I have always been seen on base, and then I joined the Marine Corps myself. When I got out of the military I was on standard for a while and it was fine, although they charged me (what I thought) was an ungodly amount to remove my IUD. I requested prime when we started TTC, just because I am comfortable seeing a military doctor on base.
It really depends on where you are stationed and what previous experiences you've had. I know some women who swear they will never be seen on base and have had bad experiences, but personally I've never had a bad experience being seen on base, and it's nice knowing I won't have any deductibles all year.
Good luck choosing!
PS - if you choose to switch to Prime, and then decide you hate it, you can go back to standard, but you will then be locked out of going back to Prime for a year, should you decide you want to go back that route. Just some food for thought!
I'm on Standard and I love it. I get to choose my doctors and don't need referrals. I was on Standard for my entire pregnancy. All of my pregnancy care was 100% covered with the exception of a small daily fee for the hospital. I also had to pay for my flu shot and some lab work that was not specifically pregnancy related.
The base where my husband is stationed does not have a hospital. Dependents on Prime are seen by civilian OBs in town and deliver at the local hospital. I've also seen female service members at my OB's office.
Married 11/27/09 and TTC right away
Dx: Complete septate uterus with cervical duplication, endometrial polyps, PCOS, endometriosis, hypo thyroid, luteal phase defect
4 uterus surgeries to correct my complete septum and to remove polyps and 2 years of seeing the RE, medicated cycles and IUIs
Baby 1 and 2: BFP 3/3/11 with 2 babies EDD 11/1/11, M/C 4/6/11
Baby #3: 8/11 pregnant EDD 4/27/11 and m/c:(
Baby #4: 10/12/11 BFP! EDD 6/16/12m/c 10/26/11
Baby #5: 3/13/12 BFP! EDD 11/25/12 ANOTHER m/c
Baby #6: 2/14/13- BFP! EDD 10/24/13, CP 2/19/13
Baby #7: 3/15/13- BFP! EDD 11/27/13, another CP
Baby #8. BFP 5/19/13 EDD 1/22/14. 8 was not our lucky number
4th septum resection on 5/31/13.
Baby #9: 6/29/13 BFP. C section scheduled for March 5th!
My miracle baby was born March 5 at 9:33am. He was 8 lbs 12.5 oz and 21.25 inches long!